How 11th Street Bridge Park Connects Recreation and Community
SORP · September 23, 2026
What happens when a park is designed to connect people as much as places? This session highlights the nationally recognized 11th Street Bridge Park project in Washington, DC, where community voices have guided the creation of a destination that combines recreation, arts, environmental stewardship, and equitable development. Learn how sustained collaboration and culturally responsive engagement are helping ensure the benefits of new recreation investments are shared by the communities they serve.
Speaker:
- Jessica Smith Lennan, 11th Street Bridge Park
Learning Objectives:
- Examine how the 11th Street Bridge Park leveraged cross-sector partnerships to create a shared vision for access and community.
- Identify strategies for incorporating equitable development, cultural relevance, and inclusive planning into recreation projects.
- Apply lessons from the 11th Street Bridge Park to strengthen collaboration, build community trust, and advance equitable recreation planning in participants' own communities.
Competencies:
- Welcoming & Belonging
- Community Context
STEPS TO RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE FOR LEARNING CREDITS:
This course offers the following credits: AICP CM, LA CES (most HSW), SAF CE, and Equivalency Petition (CEU, PDH, etc.). American Trails is a certified provider and is excited to partner with SORP to offer free learning credits to attendees. If you passed the quiz with a 75% or higher, a certificate will automatically be emailed to you. If you did not pass, you can retake the quiz to obtain a passing score and certificate.